Screen device

ABSTRACT

A shrinkable and extensible screen is mounted between a pair of screen-mounting frame portions arranged bilaterally to confront each other and at least one being slidably movable. A tension member extending through the screen for supporting it in shrinking and extending directions is routed in the screen-mounting frame portions. The tension member is extracted at the portion close to the central portion from the upper end portion of the slidably movable screen-mounting frame portions, to the outside on the side opposite to the screen mounting side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a multipurpose screen device, which canbe used as a curtain, a blind, a window screen, a partition or the like.

(2) Description of Related Art

As a device for realizing a smooth and stable opening and closingoperation to be applied as shielding or dimming means such as a curtainor blind, or a window screen or a partition, the Applicant has providedthe screen device (Japanese Patent No. 2,749,473 and Japanese Patent No.3,403,652).

In the screen device described in Japanese Patent No. 2,749,473, afoldable and extensible screen member having a plurality of pleatportions is supported between a slide bar enabled to slide and move inopening and closing directions, and one frame portion arranged toconfront the slide bar. Two intersecting wire members, which extendthrough the screen member in opening and closing directions and whichare folded back inside of the slide bar by build-in direction changingmeans, are tensed between a pair of frame portions arranged to confronteach other. The smooth and stable opening and closing operations arerealized by those two wire members.

In the screen device described in Japanese Patent No. 3,403,652, ascreen is so attached to a pair of screen-mounting frame portions whichare arranged to confront each other and at least one of which can moveslidably, as can shrink and extend freely between the twoscreen-mounting frame portions, and a pair of slide guide frame portionsare arranged near the two end portions of the screen not on the mountingside of the screen-mounting frame portions. The slide guide frameportions are so formed that a rigid unit having a pair of sidewallportions arranged to confront each other and a bridge portion bridgingthe sidewall portions is turnably connected between the two adjoiningrigid units. The slide guide frame portions are made bendable and haveat least one end made free so that they can be housed in and extractedfrom the screen-mounting frame portions. As the slidably movablescreen-mounting frame portions slide and move, the portions of the slideguide frame portions extracted from the screen-mounting frame portionskeep the linearity. These slide guide frame portions realize the smoothand stable opening and closing operations thereby to eliminate themounting restrictions.

The aforementioned screen device is widely used for its excellentopening and closing operation and workability. However, the size of theopening, in which the screen device is disposed, is divided into severalstandardized kinds. If the screen device is to be manufactured to matchall the kinds, the screen device is divided into so many kinds as toraise problems in the aspects of the stable supply or stock control ofproducts. In most cases, moreover, the size of the opening is madeslightly different according to the constructing manner of the building.Even if standardized, the opening size has to be adjusted at the workingsite. Especially, the height of the screen device of the horizontalopening type has to be adjusted.

Generally, the screen device is shipped by considering the qualitystability, after its major portions were assembled at the manufacturingfactory. At the time of adjusting at the working site, therefore, theassembly is once broken and remade at the slide bar, the screen-mountingframe portions and the screen, and thus the construction of the deviceis complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the invention has the following characteristics.

Firstly, a screen device, in which a shrinkable and extensible screen ismounted between a pair of screen-mounting frame portions arrangedbilaterally to confront each other and at least one being slidablymovable, and in which a tension member extending through the screen forsupporting it in shrinking and extending directions is routed in thescreen-mounting frame portions, characterized in that the tension memberis extracted at the portion close to the central portion from the upperend portion of the slidably movable screen-mounting frame portions, tothe outside on the side opposite to the screen mounting side.

Secondly, a screen device, in which a shrinkable and extensible screenis mounted between a pair of screen-mounting frame portions arrangedbilaterally to confront each other and at least one being slidablymovable, in which a slide guide frame portion is arranged near the lowerend portion of the screen, in which a rigid unit including a pair ofside wall portions arranged to confront each other and a bridge portionconnecting the two side wall portions is turnably connected between thetwo adjoining rigid units, in which the slide guide frame portion ismade bendable and has at least one free end so that it can be housed andextracted in the slidably movable screen-mounting frame portions and sothat the extracted portion of the slide guide frame portion keeps itslinearity when it is extracted from the screen-mounting frame portionsas the screen-mounting frame portion slides and moves, characterized inthat a tension member having its one end fixed at the free end of theslide guide frame portion is pulled into the slidably movablescreen-mounting frame portions and is extracted at the portion close tothe central portion from the upper end portion of the slidably movablescreen-mounting frame portions, to the outside on the side opposite tothe screen mounting side.

Thirdly, in the aforementioned second characteristic, the other end ofthe tension member is either fixed at a doorstop arranged to confrontthe slidably movable screen-mounting frame portions, or fixed at anupper rail for guiding the slide movement of the slidably movablescreen-mounting frame portions at its upper end portion.

Fourthly, in the aforementioned third characteristic: both the pairedscreen-mounting frame portions are made slidably movable; the slideguide frame portion having two free ends can be housed in and extractedfrom the two screen-mounting frame portions; the other end of thetension member is fixed at the free end on the side opposite to the freeend, at which one end is fixed in the slide guide frame portion; and thetension member, which is extracted at the portion close to the centralportion from the upper end portion of the two slidably movablescreen-mounting frame portions, to the outside on the side opposite tothe screen mounting side, is pulled into the upper rail thereby to forma loop.

Fifthly, in the aforementioned fourth characteristic: a center pillar isarranged between the paired screen-mounting frame portions; the centerpillar is made slidably movable in the same direction as that of the twoscreen-mounting frame portions; and at least one of one, or two or moretension members extending through the screen in shrinking and extendingdirections for supporting the screen is fixed on the center pillar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing one embodiment of ascreen device of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an adjusting operation of theheight size of the screen device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the screen deviceof the invention, as based on the screen device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation showing one embodiment of the screen deviceof the invention.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation showing one embodiment of the screen deviceof the invention, as based on the screen device shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation showing one embodiment of the screen deviceof the invention, as a modification of the screen device shown in FIG.5.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation showing one embodiment of the screen deviceof the invention, as a modification of the screen device shown in FIG.4.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation showing one embodiment of the screen deviceof the invention, as a modification of the screen device shown in FIG.7.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation showing one embodiment of the screen deviceof the invention, as a modification of the screen device shown in FIG.8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an essential portion showing theperiphery of the center pillar of the screen device shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a section showing an essential portion of one embodiment ofthe screen device of the invention, as a modification of the screendevice shown in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A screen device 1 shown in FIG. 1 has the aforementioned first feature.

In the screen device 1, there are arranged a pair of screen-mountingframe portions 2 and 3, of which the screen-mounting frame portion 2 ispositioned on the left side whereas the screen-mounting frame portion 3is positioned on the right side, so that they are arranged on the rightand left sides to confront each other. Both the two screen-mountingframe portions 2 and 3 are vertically extending hollow bar-shapedmembers, and can be extrusion-molded of a light material such asaluminum. Moreover, the two screen-mounting frame portions 2 and 3 areformed to have a generally C-shaped shape in sections perpendicular tothe longitudinal direction.

The screen-mounting frame portion 2 can slide to the right and left. Inthe screen device 1, there is arranged an upper rail 4 having agenerally C-shaped section. This upper rail 4 is transversely mountedalong the upper side of the inner edge of an opening of a building suchas a door or window. In the screen device 1, moreover, a lower rail 5 isarranged below and oppositely of the upper rail 4. The lower rail 5 istransversely mounted along the lower side of the inner edge of theopening of the building. The screen-mounting frame portion 2 has itsupper end portion fitted in the upper rail 4 and its lower end portionarranged on the lower rail 5. Therefore, the slide movements ofscreen-mounting frame portion 2 to the right and left are guided by theupper rail 4 and the lower rail 5 so that their stability is enhanced.

The screen-mounting frame portion 3 is fixed on the right side of theinner edge of the opening of the building, for example. The upper endportion of the screen-mounting frame portion 3 is also fitted in theupper rail 4 so that its appearance is made common.

Between these screen-mounting frame portions 2 and 3 thus constituted,there is mounted a screen 6. This screen 6 is pleated to have pleats sothat it can be freely shrunken and extended between the screen-mountingframe portions 2 and 3. The screen 6 can be formed of a net, in case itis used as a window screen, so that it can also be formed of a sheet ofcloth or resin in accordance with the application of the screen device1. Moreover, the screen 6 can also be shrunken and extended not only bythe pleats made by the pleating treatment but also by a honeycombstructure or the like.

The screen 6 is extended in the opening of a building, when thescreen-mounting frame portion 2 slides to the left, thereby to performthe shading, dimming and insect-repelling functions. When thescreen-mounting frame portion 2 slides to the right, on the other hand,the screen 6 is shrunken so that it is folded between thescreen-mounting frame portions 2 and 3.

The screen 6 has support plates 7 attached to its two right and left endportions, so that it is attached to the screen-mounting frame portions 2and 3 through the support plates 7. On the inner sides of thescreen-mounting frame portions 2 and 3, there are arranged ribs, whichprotrude in widthwise directions. The support plate 7 is inserted on theleft side of the rib into the screen-mounting frame portion 2 so that itengages with the rib thereby to mount the screen 6. The support plate 7is inserted on the right side of the rib into the screen-mounting frameportion 3 so that it engages with the rib thereby to mount the screen 6.The engagement between the support plate 7 and the rib may be either acantilever type or a center type, and adopts a suitable engaging typefor an easy mounting work.

The folded and shrunken portion of the screen 6 is housed in thescreen-mounting frame portion 2 on the right side of the rib and in thescreen-mounting frame portion 3 on the left side. The screen-mountingframe portion 2 is moved so rightward that its right end face comes intocontact with the left end face of the screen-mounting frame portion 3.At this time, the folded shrunken screen 6 is housed in thescreen-mounting frame portions 2 and 3 so that it is not exposed to theoutside.

In the screen device 1, moreover, there is arranged a tension member 8,which threads the screen 6 in the shrinking and extending directions.The tension member 8 has one end 81 and the other end 82, and is routedin the screen-mounting frame portions 2 and 3 so that both its one end81 and other end 82 are let out from the slidable screen-mounting frameportion 2. The tension member 8 is a member for supporting the pleatedscreen 6, and retains the self-standing property of the screen 6 andenhances the facial strength. Moreover, the shrinkage and extension areguided by the tension member 8 so that they are smoothly performed.Still moreover, the tension member 8 homogenizes the operation load atthe time of sliding the screen-mounting frame portion 2 to the right andleft, thereby to smoothen the sliding operation.

There may be one or two, or more, of such tension members 8. Consideringthe aforementioned effect, moreover, the routing of the tension member 8in the screen-mounting frame portion 2 may be so suitable as to acquirethe necessary tension. For example, the one end 81 and the other end 82may be intersected in the screen-mounting frame portion 2 and routed toeach other, or not intersected but routed to each other, such that theone end 81 and the other end 82 are away from each other. A suitablewire for generating a tension such as rope or wire is adopted for thetension member 8. A suitable material is selected by consideringdurability or the like.

In the screen device 1, moreover, the side of the one end 81 of thetension member 8 is extracted at the portion close to the centralportion from the upper end portion of the screen-mounting frame portion2, to the outside on the side opposite to the mounting side of thescreen 6. The extracted one end 81 of the tension member 8 is routedalong the outer face of the screen-mounting frame portion 2 on the sideopposite to the mounting side of the screen 6 of the screen-mountingframe portion 2 toward the upper end, and is bent to the left by hookingit on an upper cap 9 attached to the upper end portion of thescreen-mounting frame portion 2, so that it is fixed through a fixingpiece 11 on a doorstop 10 so arranged on the left as to confront thescreen-mounting frame portion 2. The doorstop 10 is fixed on the leftside of the inner edge of the opening of the building, thereby to definethe left limit of the sliding movement of the screen-mounting frameportion 2. The doorstop 10 also has its upper end portion fitted in theupper rail 4 so that its appearance is also made common.

The side, which is hooked on the upper cap 9 and bent to the left, ofthe one end 81 of the tension member 8 is once pulled into the upperrail 4, and is hooked on an upper cap 12 mounted on the upper endportion of the doorstop 10 and bent downward, so that it is pulled intothe doorstop 10. The side of the one end 81 of the tension member 8 hasits leading end portion bound by the fixing piece 11 so that it is fixedat the doorstop 10 by fixing it on the doorstop 10 by means of a screw13. The fixing piece 11 has its fixed position freely changed in theheight direction of the doorstop 10 so that it can be fixed at aposition for establishing a necessary tension by considering the lengthof the tension member 8 or the like.

Thus, the side of the one end 81 of the tension member 8 is extracted atthe portion close to the upper end from the central portion of thescreen-mounting frame portion 2, to the outside. The extracted side ofthe one end 81 is extended upward along the outer face of thescreen-mounting frame portion 2 on the side opposite to the mountingside of the screen 6, and pulled into the upper rail 4 from the upperend of the screen-mounting frame portion 2 and then into the doorstop 10from the upper end, so that the side of the one end 81 is not exposed tothe opening of the building. The side of the one end 81 does notobstruct the opening and closing of a window or the coming and going ofa personnel but presents a satisfactory appearance.

On the other hand, the side of the other end 82 of the tension member 8is extracted from the lower end of the screen-mounting frame portion 2to the outside, and is hooked by a lower cap 14, which is mounted on thelower end portion of the screen-mounting frame portion 2 and functionslike the upper cap 9, so that it is bent to the left. The bent side ofthe other end 82 of the tension member 8 is extended to the left alongthe lower rail 5, and is hooked on a lower cap 15 mounted on the lowerend portion of the doorstop 10 so that it is bent upward and pulled intothe doorstop 10. The side of the other end 82 of the tension member 8also has its leading end portion bound by the fixing piece 11 so that itis fixed at the doorstop 10 by fixing it on the doorstop 10 by means ofthe screw 13. The change of the fixing position of the fixing piece 11is made like before. Thus, the side of the other end 82 of the tensionmember 8 is not exposed to the opening of the building, so that it doesnot obstruct the opening and closing of a window or the coming and goingof a personnel but presents a satisfactory appearance. The side of theone end 81 and the side of the other end 82 are fixed in the doorstop 10so that the necessary tension is applied to the tension member 8.

The screen device 1 is so assembled in and shipped from a factory thatthe screen 6 is mounted between the screen-mounting frame portions 2 and3 and that the tension member 8 is wired. This wiring of the tensionmember 8 is performed so long that the one end 81 and the other end 82are extracted from the screen-mounting frame portion 2 to the outside.In the working site, the screen device 1 is placed in that state at theopening of the building or the like.

The screen device 1 could have its sizes standardized to some extent byestimating the sizes of the opening of the building or the like, but isdifficult to produce while matching the sizes of all openings. Moreover,it frequently occurs that the sizes of the opening are made slightlydifferent by the fittings of the building. In case the screen device 1is of the side-open type, therefore, the height size has to be adjustedaccording to the vertical size of the opening or the like.

In the screen device 1, the tension member 8, which supports the screen6 while extending therethrough in the shrinking and extending directionsand which is routed in the screen-mounting frame portions 2 and 3, isextracted at the portion close to the central portion from the upper endportion of the slidable screen-mounting frame portion 2, to the outsideon the side opposite to the mounting side of the screen 6. In case theheight size of the screen device 1 is longer than the vertical size ofthe opening of the building, therefore, on the upper side of theportion, from which the tension member 8 is extracted to the outside,the screen device 1 is cut by means of a cutting tool such as anelectric saw 16, as shown in FIG. 2, so that the height size can be cutso short as to match the height size of the opening or the like. By thiscutting operation, the screen-mounting frame portions 2 and 3, thesupport plates 7 and the screen 6 are cut all at once, and this cuttingoperation can be performed without being obstructed by the tensionmember 8 but in the assembled state at the shipping time with thetension member 8 being wired. At this time, the upper cap 9 has beenremoved from the screen-mounting frame portion 2. The disassembling andreassembling operations to pull and cut and to wire the tension member 8need not be performed to facilitate the adjustments by cutting the sizesshort at the working site.

The screen device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is of the so-called single swingtype, but a screen device 17 shown in FIG. 3 is of a double type. On theother and, the screen device 17 is based on the screen device 1 shown inFIG. 1. In the screen device 17, on the other hand, that portion of thescreen device 1, from which the doorstop 10 and the fixing piece 11, theupper cap 12, the screw 13 and the lower cap 15 for fixing the side ofthe one end 81 and the side of the other end 82 of the tension member 8on the doorstop 10 are removed, is made into a unit 18, and the twounits 18 are arranged substantially symmetrically on the right and leftsides.

In the screen device 17, moreover, at the left unit 18, the side of theone end 81, which is extracted to the outside from the screen-mountingframe portion 2 and bent at the upper cap 9 to extend to the right, ofthe tension member 8 is connected at its leading end portion to a rightcap 19 to be mounted on the right end portion of the upper rail 4.Likewise, at the right unit 18, the side of the one end 81, which isextracted to the outside from the screen-mounting frame portion 2 andbent at the upper cap 9 to extend to the left, of the tension member 8,is connected at its leading end portion to a left cap 20 to be mountedon the left end portion of the upper rail 4 and having the sameconstitution of the right cap 19. By these connections to the right cap19 and the left cap 20 thus mounted on the upper rail 4, the side of theone end 81 of the tension member 8 is fixed on the upper rail 4.

At the left unit 18, the side of the other end 82 of the tension member8, which is extracted to the outside from the lower end of thescreen-mounting frame portion 2 and bent at the lower cap 14 to extendto the right, is connected at its leading end portion to a fixing member21 to be arranged on the right end portion of the lower rail 5.Likewise, at the right unit 18, the side of the other end 82 of thetension member 8, which is extracted to the outside from the lower endof the screen-mounting frame portion 2 and bent at the lower cap 14 toextend to the left, is connected at its leading end portion to a fixingmember 22 to be arranged on the left end portion of the lower rail 5 andhaving the same constitution as that of the fixing member 21. By theseconnections to the fixing members 21 and 22, the sides of the one ends81 of the tension members 8 are fixed on the lower side of the inneredge of the opening or the like. Moreover, the necessary tensions areapplied to the tension members 8 arranged in the right and left units18, and the sides of the one ends 81 and the sides of the other ends 82are individually pulled into the upper rails 4 and extended to the leftalong the lower rails 5 so that they are not exposed to the opening orthe like of the building. The sides of the one ends 81 and the otherends 82 do not obstruct the opening and closing of the window or thecoming and going of the personnel but presents satisfactory appearances.

In the screen device 17, the aforementioned two units 18 are arrangedsubstantially symmetrically on the right and left sides. As in thescreen device 1 shown in FIG. 1, therefore, on the upper side of theportion, from which the tension member 8 is extracted to the outside ofthe slidably movable screen-mounting frame portion 2, the unit 18 is cutby means of a cutting tool such as the electric saw 16, as shown in FIG.2, so that the height size can be cut so short as to match the heightsize of the opening or the like. At this time, in the right and leftunits 18, the upper caps 9 have been removed from the screen-mountingframe portion 2 so as to facilitate the adjustments by cutting the sizesshort at the working site.

A screen device 23 shown in FIG. 4 has the aforementioned secondfeature.

In the screen device 23, there are arranged a pair of screen-mountingframe portions 24 and 25, of which the screen-mounting frame portion 24is positioned on the left side whereas the screen-mounting frame portion25 is positioned on the right side, so that they are arranged on theright and left sides to confront each other. Both the twoscreen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25 are vertically extending hollowbar-shaped members, and can be extrusion-molded of a light material suchas aluminum. Moreover, the two screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25are formed to have a generally C-shaped shape in sections perpendicularto the longitudinal direction.

The screen-mounting frame portion 24 can slide to the right and left. Inthe screen device 23, there is arranged an upper rail 26 having agenerally C-shaped section. This upper rail 26 is transversely mountedalong the upper side of the inner edge of an opening of a building suchas a door or window. In the screen device 23, moreover, a lower rail 27is arranged below and oppositely of the upper rail 26. The lower rail 27is transversely mounted along the lower side of the inner edge of theopening of the building. The screen-mounting frame portion 24 has itsupper end portion fitted in the upper rail 26 and its lower end portionarranged on the lower rail 27. Therefore, the slide movements ofscreen-mounting frame portion 24 to the right and left are guided by theupper rail 26 and the lower rail 27 so that their stability is enhanced.

The screen-mounting frame portion 25 is fixed on the right side of theinner edge of the opening of the building, for example. The upper endportion of the screen-mounting frame portion 25 is also fitted in theupper rail 26 so that its appearance is made common.

Between these screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25 thus constituted,there is mounted a screen 28. This screen 28 is pleated to have pleats,although not shown, so that it can be freely shrunken and extendedbetween the screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25. The screen 28 canbe formed of a net, in case the screen device 23 is used as a windowscreen, so that it can also be formed of a sheet of cloth or resin inaccordance with the application of the screen device 23. Moreover, thescreen 28 can also be shrunken and extended not only by the pleats madeby the pleating treatment but also by a honeycomb structure or the like.

The screen 28 is extended in the opening of a building, when thescreen-mounting frame portion 24 slides to the left, thereby to performthe shading, dimming and insect-repelling functions. When thescreen-mounting frame portion 24 slides to the right, on the other hand,the screen 28 is shrunken so that it is folded between thescreen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25. The folded and shrunkenportion of the screen 28 is housed in the screen-mounting frame portion24 on the right side and in the screen-mounting frame portion 25 on theleft side. The screen-mounting frame portion 24 is moved so rightwardthat its right end face comes into contact with the left end face of thescreen-mounting frame portion 25. At this time, the folded shrunkenscreen 28 is housed in the screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25 sothat it is not exposed to the outside.

In the screen device 23, moreover, a slide guide frame portion 29 isarranged near the lower end portion of the screen 28. The slide guideframe portion 29 is formed such that rigid units 30 can turn freelybetween the two adjoining ones. The slide guide frame portion 29 can beexemplified by one, which is described in Japanese Patent No. 3403652and thus far provided. The rigid unit 30 includes a pair of sidewallportions arranged to confront each other, and a bridge portionconnecting the two sidewall portions to each other, although partiallyomitted for simplicity of illustration. In the sidewall portions,outward protrusions are arranged in longitudinal one-end portions, andthrough holes 31 engageable with the protrusions are formed in the otherend portions. In the side wall portions, moreover, outward smallprotrusions are arranged adjacent to the aforementioned protrusions andat the positions opposite of the through holes 31, and substantiallycrescent slots 32 are formed adjacent to the through holes 31 and in thesides of the aforementioned protrusions. The two adjacent ones of thoserigid units 30 are turnably jointed to form the slide guide frameportion 29, by fitting the aforementioned protrusions in the throughholes 31 from the inner sides of the side wall portions and by insertingthe aforementioned small protrusions into the slots 32. As a result, theslide guide frame portion 29 is made bendable, and the aforementionedsmall protrusions contact the longitudinal one-side ends of the slots 32so that the linearity can be held by regulating the turning motions ofthe rigid units 30.

The slide guide frame portion 29 is fixed at its right end on thescreen-mounting frame portion 25. On the other hand, the left end of theslide guide frame portion 29 is made free so that it can be housed inand extracted from the screen-mounting frame portion 24 made slidablymovable. When the screen-mounting frame portion 24 is made to slideleftward, the slide guide frame portion 29 is extracted from thescreen-mounting frame portion 24, and this extracted portion keepsstraight. When the screen-mounting frame portion 24 is made to sliderightward, on the other hand, the slide guide frame portion 29 is bentat the lower end portion of the screen-mounting frame portion 24 so thatit is housed in the screen-mounting frame portion 24. These housing andextracting operations of the slide guide frame portion 29 in and fromthe screen-mounting frame portion 24 are performed synchronously withthe shrinkage and extension of the screen 28. The slide guide frameportion 29 is not exposed to the opening or the like of the building, sothat it does not obstruct the opening and closing of the window or thecoming and going of the personnel but presents a satisfactoryappearance.

In the screen device 23, moreover, there is arranged a tension member33. This tension member 33 has one end 331 and the other end 332, ofwhich the one end 331 is fixed at the free end of the left-end side ofthe slide guide frame portion 29 so that it is pulled into the slidablymovable screen-mounting frame portion 24. Moreover, the tension member33 is extracted at the portion close to the central portion from theupper end portion of the screen-mounting frame portion 24, to theoutside on the side opposite of the mounting side of the screen 28. Atthe portion where the tension member 33 is extracted from thescreen-mounting frame portion 24 to the outer side, there is arranged acrank piece 34 for lightening the friction. This crank piece 34 is fixedon the screen-mounting frame portion 24 by a screw 35.

The extracted other end 332 of the tension member 33 is routed along theouter face of the screen-mounting frame portion 24 on the side oppositeto the mounting side of the screen 28 toward the upper end of thescreen-mounting frame portion 24, and is bent to the left by hooking iton an upper cap 36 attached to the upper end portion of thescreen-mounting frame portion 24, so that it is fixed through a fixingpiece 38 on a doorstop 37 so arranged on the left as to confront thescreen-mounting frame portion 24. The doorstop 37 is fixed on the leftside of the inner edge of the opening of the building, thereby to definethe left limit of the sliding movement of the screen-mounting frameportion 24. The doorstop 37 also has its upper end portion fitted in theupper rail 26 so that its appearance is also made common.

The side, which is hooked on the upper cap 36 and bent to the left, ofthe other end 332 of the tension member 33 is once pulled into the upperrail 26, and is hooked on an upper cap 39 mounted on the upper endportion of the doorstop 37 and bent downward, so that it is pulled intothe doorstop 37. The side of the other end 332 of the tension member 33has its leading end portion bound by the fixing piece 38 so that it isfixed at the doorstop 37 by fixing it on the doorstop 37 by means of ascrew 40. The fixing piece 38 has its fixed position freely changed inthe height direction of the doorstop 37 so that it can be fixed at aposition for establishing a necessary tension by considering the lengthof the tension member 33 or the like.

Thus, the side of the other end 332 of the tension member 33 isextracted at the portion close to the upper end from the central portionof the screen-mounting frame portion 24, to the outside. The extractedside of the other end 332 is extended upward along the outer face of thescreen-mounting frame portion 24 on the side opposite to the mountingside of the screen 28, and pulled into the upper rail 26 from the upperend of the screen-mounting frame portion 24 and then into the doorstop37 from the upper end, so that the side of the other end 332 is notexposed to the opening of the building. The side of the other end 332does not obstruct the opening and closing of a window or the coming andgoing of a personnel but presents a satisfactory appearance.

Here, the side of the other end 332 of the tension member 33 can also befixed not on the doorstop 37 but on the left end portion of the upperrail 26 through the fixing piece 38 as long as it is not exposed to theopening of the building or the like. In case the side of the other end332 of the tension member 33 is fixed on the left end portion of theupper rail 26, the doorstop 37 can be omitted to reduce the parts of thescreen device 23 thereby to facilitate the stock control.

When the screen-mounting frame portion 24 is slid to move to the left inthe screen device 23, the screen-mounting frame portion 24 is enabled,by the tension on the slide guide frame portion 29 and the tensionmember 33, to keep the parallel state with respect to thescreen-mounting frame portion 25 fixed. When the screen-mounting frameportion 24 is slid to move to the right, on the other hand, thescreen-mounting frame portion 24 is enabled, by the tension to act onthe tension member 33 and the compression to act on the slide guideframe portion 29, to keep the parallel state with respect to the fixedscreen-mounting frame portion 25. As a result, the screen-mounting frameportion 24 can slide and move smoothly while being stable to the rightand left, and the operation load of the screen-mounting frame portion 24is homogenized to smoothen the sliding operation.

Here, a suitable wire for generating a tension such as rope or wire isadopted for the tension member 33. A suitable material is selected byconsidering durability or the like.

In the screen device 23, moreover, there is arranged a tension member41, which extends through the screen 28 in the shrinking and extendingdirections so as to support the pleated screen 28 in accordance with thesize or the like of the screen 28. As in the tension member 33, asuitable wire for generating a tension such as rope or wire is adoptedfor the tension member 41, and a suitable material is selected byconsidering durability or the like. The number of tension member 41 maybe one, or two or more. In the case of a plural number, the tensionmembers 41 may be arranged vertically of the screen 28 at a constantinterval.

The tension member 41 has its one end 411 fixed in the screen-mountingframe portion 25 and its other end 412 routed in the screen-mountingframe portion 24 and fixed on the free end of the left side of the slideguide frame portion 29. The routing method of the tension member 41 inthe screen-mounting frame portion 24 is not especially limited, but canbe exemplified for acquiring a necessary tension, by bending it oncedownward and by bending it upward at the lower end portion of thescreen-mounting frame portion 24.

The tension member 41 can retain the self-standing property of thescreen 28 and can enhance the facial strength. Moreover, the shrinkageand extension are guided by the tension member 41 so that they aresmoothly performed.

The screen device 23 is so assembled in and shipped from a factory thatthe screen 28 is mounted between the screen-mounting frame portions 24and 25, that the slide guide frame portion 29 is arranged near the lowerend portion of the screen 28, and that the tension members 33 and 41 arewired. This wiring of the tension member 33 is performed so long thatthe side of the other end 332 is extracted from the screen-mountingframe portion 24 to the outside. In the working site, the screen device23 is placed in that state at the opening of the building or the like.

The screen device 23 could have its sizes standardized to some extent byestimating the sizes of the opening of the building or the like, but isdifficult to produce while matching the sizes of all openings. Moreover,it frequently occurs that the sizes of the opening are made slightlydifferent by the fittings of the building. In case the screen device 23is of the side-open type, therefore, the height size has to be adjustedaccording to the vertical size of the opening or the like.

In the screen device 23, as described hereinbefore, the tension member33, which is supported at its one end 331 by the free end of the slideguide frame portion 29 and which is pulled into the screen-mountingframe portion 24, is extracted at the portion close to the centralportion from the upper end portion of the slidable screen-mounting frameportion 24, to the outside on the side opposite to the mounting side ofthe screen 28. In case the height size of the screen device 23 is longerthan the vertical size such as the opening of the building, therefore,on the upper side of the portion, from which the tension member 33 isextracted to the outside, the screen device 23 is cut by means of acutting tool such as an electric saw, so that the height size can be cutso short as to match the height size of the opening or the like. By thiscutting operation, the screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25 and thescreen 28 are cut all at once, and this cutting operation can beperformed without being obstructed by the tension members 33 and 41 andthe slide guide frame portion 29 but in the assembled state at theshipping time with the tension members 33 and 41 being wired. Thedisassembling and reassembling operations to pull, cut and wire thetension members 33 and 41 and to demount and mount the slide guide frameportion 29 once and again need not be performed to facilitate theadjustments by cutting the sizes short at the working site.

The screen device 23 shown in FIG. 4 is of the so-called single swingtype, but a screen device 42 shown in FIG. 5 is of a double type. Thescreen device 42 is based on the screen device 23 shown in FIG. 4. Inthe screen device 42, on the other hand, that portion of the screendevice 23, from which the doorstop 37 and the fixing piece 38 for fixingthe side of the other end 332 of the tension member 33 on the doorstop37 are removed, is made into a unit 43, and the two units 43 arearranged substantially symmetrically on the right and left sides. In thescreen device 42, moreover, the upper rail 26 and the lower rail 27 arecommonly used in the two units 43.

In the screen device 42, moreover, at the left unit 43, the side of theother end 332, which is extracted to the outside from thescreen-mounting frame portion 24 and bent at the upper cap 36 to extendto the right, of the tension member 41 is pulled into the upper rail 26,hooked and bent downward by the upper cap 36 mounted on the upper endportion of the screen-mounting frame portion 24 of the right unit 43,routed in the screen-mounting frame portion 24 of the right unit 43, sothat the other end 332 is fixed on the free end of the slide guide frameportion 29 of the right unit 43. In short, in the screen device 42, thetension member 33 is shared between the two right and left units 43. Thenecessary tensions are applied to the tension members 33 thus arrangedin the right and left units 43 and having the one end 331 and the otherend 332 fixed individually on the slide guide frame portion 29, and thetension members 33 are pulled into the screen-mounting frame portion 24of the two units 43 and into the upper rail 26 so that they are notexposed to the opening or the like of the building. The tension members33 do not obstruct the opening and closing of the window or the comingand going of the personnel but presents satisfactory appearances.

In the screen device 42, the aforementioned units 43 are arrangedsubstantially symmetrically on the right and left sides. As in thescreen device 23 shown in FIG. 4, therefore, on the upper side of theportion, from which the tension member 33 is extracted to the outside ofthe slidably movable screen-mounting frame portion 24, the unit 43 iscut by means of a cutting tool such as the electric saw, so that theheight size can be cut so short as to match the height size of theopening or the like. At this time, in the two units 43, the upper caps36 have been removed from the screen-mounting frame portion 24 so as tofacilitate the adjustments by cutting the sizes short at the workingsite.

Moreover, the doorstop 37 is omitted, and the screen device 42 uses theupper rail 26 and the lower rail 27 commonly in the right and left units43, so that the parts can be further reduced to facilitate the stockcontrol.

Here, the other end 332 of the tension member 33 is not fixed, whenshipped from the factory, on the slide guide frame portion 29 of theright unit 43 but is fixed, after adjusted, on the free end of the slideguide frame portion 29, so that the mounting work of the screen device42 can be further facilitated. In this case, in order to facilitate thefixing of the other end 332 of the tension member 33, it is possible tomake the crank piece 34, as shown in FIG. 4, into a longitudinal memberand to form a long slit to provide the communication between the insideand outside of the screen-mounting frame portion 24 in the crank piece34. Through this slit, the side of the other end 332 of the tensionmember 33 can be easily pulled into the screen-mounting frame portion 24of the right unit 43, so that it can be easily fixed on the free end ofthe slide guide frame portion 29.

A screen device 44 shown in FIG. 6 is essentially different from thescreen device 42 shown in FIG. 5, in that the tension member 33 is notshared between the right and left units 43.

In the left unit 43, the side of the other end 332 of the tension member33, which is extracted from the screen-mounting frame portion 24 to theoutside and which is bent at the upper cap 9 and extends to the right,is pulled in the upper rail 26, and bent upward and leftward at theupper end portion of the upper rail 26. Moreover, a fixing piece 45 forfunctioning like the fixing piece 38 shown in FIG. 4 is bound to theother end 332, and the fixing piece 45 is fitted in the groove formed inthe upper end portion of the upper rail 26, and is fixed by a screw 46.The fixed position of the fixing piece 45 can be changed in thelongitudinal direction of the upper rail 26. The other end 332 is fixedon the upper rail 26 through the fixing piece 45 so that the necessarytension is applied to the tension members 33.

In the right unit 43, too, the side of the other end 332 of the tensionmember 33, which is extracted from the screen-mounting frame portion 24to the outside and which is bent at the upper cap 9 and extends to theleft, is pulled in the upper rail 26, and bent upward and rightward atthe upper end portion of the upper rail 26. Moreover, the fixing piece45 is bound to the other end 332, and the fixing piece 45 is fitted inthe groove formed in the upper end portion of the upper rail 26, and isfixed by the screw 46. The fixed position of the fixing piece 45 can bechanged in the longitudinal direction of the upper rail 26. The otherend 332 is fixed on the upper rail 26 through the fixing piece 45 sothat the necessary tension is applied to the tension members 33.

Moreover, both the tension members 33 arranged in the right and leftunits 43 are pulled into the inside of the upper rail 4 so that they arenot exposed to the opening or the like of the building. The tensionmembers 33 do not obstruct the opening and closing of the window or thecoming and going of the personnel but presents satisfactory appearances.

Here, the tension member 41 is omitted from the screen device 44. As inthe screen device 42 shown in FIG. 5, and as in the screen device 23shown in FIG. 4, one, or two or more tension members 41 can be arrangedto extend through the screen 28 in the shrinking and extendingdirections, thereby to support the same.

This screen device 44 achieves effects like those of the screen device42 shown in FIG. 5.

In the screen device 47 shown in FIG. 7, the right screen-mounting frameportion 25 can slide to the right and left like the left screen-mountingframe portion 24. Moreover, the slide guide frame portion 29 arrangednear the lower end portion of the screen 28 is given the free ends atboth the two right and left ends, so that it is not fixed by thescreen-mounting frame portion 25 so that it can be housed in andextracted from the screen-mounting frame portion 25. When thescreen-mounting frame portion 25 is slid to the right, the slide guideframe portion 29 is extracted from the screen-mounting frame portion 25,and the extracted portion keeps the straightness. When thescreen-mounting frame portion 25 is slid to the left, the slide guideframe portion 29 is bent at the lower end portion of the screen-mountingframe portion 25 and housed in the screen-mounting frame portion 25.These housing and extracting operations of the slide guide frame portion29 in the screen-mounting frame portion 25 are performed synchronouslywith the shrinkage and extension of the screen 28.

The slide guide frame portion 29 has a structure, in which a connectingmember 48 is arranged at the central portion of the longitudinaldirection and which is substantially symmetric with respect to theconnecting member 48, so that it may be smoothly housed in and extractedfrom the two screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25. The connectingmember 48 can be given such a structure corresponding to the rigid units30 of the connection end in the slide guide frame portion 29, as can beexemplified by including a pair of side wall portions arranged toconfront each other, and a bridge portion connecting the two side wallportions to each other. In the sidewall portions, there are arrangedprotrusions protruding to the outside from the two longitudinal endportions. These protrusions are given substantially the same shape andsize as those of the protrusions of the rigid units 30 so that they canengage with the through holes 31 of the rigid units 30. In the sidewallportions, moreover, substantially crescent protrusions are arranged onthe end edge side and adjacent to the protrusions, and are madeengageable with the substantially crescent slots 32 of the rigid unit 30shown in FIG. 4. Moreover, the aforementioned protrusions of theconnecting member 48 are fitted to engage from the inner side in thethrough holes 31 of the rigid unit 30 positioned at the connection end,and the substantially crescent protrusions are fitted to engage from theinner side in the slots. As a result, the slide guide frame portions 29are connected into a single structure through the connecting member 48so that it becomes a structure substantially symmetric on the right andleft sides on the connecting member 48.

The slide guide frame portion 29 having free ends on its two right andleft ends can be housed in and extracted from the two screen-mountingframe portions 24 and 25. As a result, the transverse width of thescreen device 47 at the time when the screen 28 is extended to the fullopening of the building is made larger than that of the screen device 23shown in FIG. 4, thereby to increase the degree of freedom of the ratioof the width and the height in the design of the screen device.

In the screen device 47, moreover, the tension member 33 having its oneend 331 fixed at the free end on the left end side of the slide guideframe portion 29 is extracted, as in the tension member 33 shown in FIG.4, at the portion close to the central portion from the upper endportion of the screen-mounting frame portion 24, to the outside on theside opposite to the mounting side of the screen 28. The extractedtension member 33 is routed along the outer face of the screen-mountingframe portion 24 on the side opposite to the mounting side of the screen28 toward the upper end of the screen-mounting frame portion 24, and isbent to the left by hooking it on an upper cap 36 attached to the upperend portion of the screen-mounting frame portion 24 so that it is pulledinto the upper rail 26. Moreover, the tension member 33 is so bent tothe right at the left end portion of the upper rail 26 as to extend tothe right end portion of the upper rail 26. The tension member 33 isthen hooked to go downward by the upper cap 36 attached to the upper endof the screen-mounting frame portion 25. The tension member 33 extendsdownward along the outer face of the screen-mounting frame portion 25 onthe side opposite to the mounting side of the screen 28, and is pulledfrom the upper end portion of the screen-mounting frame portion 25 intothe inside at a portion close to the central portion. Moreover, theother end 332 is fixed at the free end of the right end side of theslide guide frame portion 29.

Thus, the one end 331 is fixed on the free end of the left end side ofthe slide guide frame portion 29, and the free end of the right end sideand the other end 332 are fixed so that the tension member 33 forms aloop and receives a necessary tension. The tension member 33 is pulledinto the screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25 and into the upperrail 26. The tension member 33 is not exposed to the opening of thebuilding, so that it does not obstruct the opening and closing of thewindow or the coming and going of the personnel but presents thesatisfactory appearance.

In the screen device 47, moreover, the one end 441, which is fixed onthe screen-mounting frame portion 25 of the tension member 41 shown inFIG. 4, is fixed at the free end of the right end side of the slideguide frame portion 29, and is tensed, as necessary. The routing of thetension member 41 in the screen-mounting frame portion 25 is madesymmetric in connection with the routing in the screen-mounting frameportion 24. The tension member 41 is once bent downward, and is bentupward at the lower end portion of the screen-mounting frame portion 25.Thus, the tension member 41 supports the pleated screen 28 whileextending through it in the shrinking and extending directions.

In the screen device 47, the tension member 33, which is supported atits one end 331 and the other end 332 by the free end of the slide guideframe portion 29 and which is pulled into the screen-mounting frameportions 24 and 25, is extracted at the portion close to the centralportion from the upper end portions of the two slidable screen-mountingframe portions 24 and 25, to the outside on the side opposite to themounting side of the screen 28. In case the height size of the screendevice 47 is longer than the vertical size such as the opening of thebuilding, therefore, on the upper side of the portion, from which thetension member 33 is extracted to the outside, the screen device 47 iscut by means of a cutting tool such as an electric saw, so that theheight size can be cut so short as to match the height size of theopening or the like. By this cutting operation, the screen-mountingframe portions 24 and 25 and the screen 28 are cut all at once, and thiscutting operation can be performed without being obstructed by thetension members 33 and 41 and the slide guide frame portion 29 but inthe assembled state at the shipping time with the tension members 33 and41 being wired. The disassembling and reassembling operations to pull,cut and wire the tension members 33 and 41 need not be performed tofacilitate the adjustments by cutting the sizes short at the workingsite.

Here, the other end 332 of the tension member 33 is not fixed, whenshipped from the factory, on the free end of the right end side of theslide guide frame portion 29 but is fixed, after adjusted, on the freeend of the slide guide frame portion 29, so that the mounting work ofthe screen device 47 can be further facilitated. In this case, in orderto facilitate the fixing of the other end 332 of the tension member 33,it is possible to arrange the crank piece 34 shown in FIG. 4 at thescreen-mounting frame portion 25, to make the crank piece 43 of a longmember to be arranged in the screen-mounting frame portion 25, and toform a long slit to provide the communication between the inside andoutside of the screen-mounting frame portion 25 in the crank piece 34.Through this slit, the side of the other end 332 of the tension member33 can be easily pulled into the screen-mounting frame portion 25, sothat it can be easily fixed on the free end of the slide guide frameportion 29.

Moreover, the screen device 47 can take a structure substantiallybilaterally symmetric on the right and left sides with respect to thecentral portion, in the state where the screen 28 is extended over theentirety of the opening of the building. Therefore, the usability is notdifferent between the right and left sides so that the screen device 47can be operated with the same feeling even for the screen-mounting frameportions 24 and 25. In the screen device 47, moreover, one of thescreen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25 has to be fixed on the inneredge of the opening of the building so that the screen-mounting frameportions 24 and 25 may be kept parallel to each other. In the screendevice 47, the screen-mounting frame portion 25 is fixed on the rightside of the inner edge of the opening of the building. However, thescreen-mounting frame portion 24 can also be fixed on the left side ofthe inner edge of the opening of the building, thereby to slide thescreen-mounting frame portion 25 to the right and left. The operabilityand the stable parallel movement of the screen-mounting frame portions24 and 25 are improved by the tension member 33 forming theaforementioned loop.

In a screen device 49 shown in FIG. 8, a center pillar 50 is arrangedbetween the left and right screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25. Thecenter pillar 50 can slide to the right and left like the twoscreen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25. The screen 28 is arranged onthe two right and left sides across the center pillar 50. Specifically,the left screen 28 is so mounted between the screen-mounting frameportion 24 and the center pillar 50 as can shrink and extend, and theright screen 28 is mounted between the screen-mounting frame portion 25and the center pillar 50.

In the screen device 49, moreover, the tension member 41, which supportsthe screens 28 therethrough in the shrinking and extending directions,is shared between the screens 28 on the two right and left sides, andextends through the two screen 28. The tension member 41 can be providedby one, or two or more, as described hereinbefore, of which at least onetension member 41 is fixed at the fixed point 51 in the center pillar50.

In the screen device 49, therefore, in accordance with the slidingmovements of the screen-mounting frame portion 24 to the right and left,the center pillar 50 also slides and moves in the same direction as thesliding direction of the screen-mounting frame portion 24 so that theright and left screens 28 extend and shrink. These screens 28 thusfolded and shrunken are individually housed between the center pillar 50and the screen-mounting frame portion 24 and between the center pillar50 and the screen-mounting frame portion 25. In order to house thescreens 28 in that manner, the center pillar 50 can be equipped with therecessed screen housing portions like the screen-mounting frame portions24 and 25. In case the screen-mounting frame portion 24 is fixed whereasthe screen-mounting frame portion 25 is slid and moved to the right andleft, moreover, the center pillar 50 also slides and moves to the rightand left.

Like the screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25, the center pillar 50can be made of vertically extending hollow bar-shaped members, which canbe extrusion-molded of a light material such as aluminum.

Moreover, the screen device 49 is equipped with the center pillar 50, asdescribed above, and at least one tension member 41 is fixed at thecenter pillar 50 so that its resisting performance against the windpressure is enhanced. The shape and structure can be stably held evenagainst a high wind. Even if the screen device is wide, moreover, itshousing allowance is expanded by the center pillar 50. As a result, thescreen 28 to be folded and shrunken can be completely housed so that itis not be exposed to present the satisfactory appearance and to behardly blotted when housed. The screen device 49 can also be formed byadding one more center pillar 50 and one more screen 28 to the screendevice 47 shown in FIG. 7. The screen device 47 shown in FIG. 7 isprepared as a basis, and the center pillar 50 and the screen 28 areadded later according to the working site, so that the screen device 49can be made so wide as to match the size of the opening.

Moreover, the screen device 49 is based on the screen device 47 shown inFIG. 7, so that it can attain a similar effect such as the adjustment ofa height size as in the screen device 47.

In case the center pillar 50 is thus arranged, the parallel relationsbetween the screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25 and the centerpillar 50 can be adjusted by adjusting the lengths in the tension member41 from the fixed point 51 fixed in the center pillar 50 to the one end441 and from the fixed point 51 to the other end 412.

In order to realize the parallel relations between the screen-mountingframe portions 24 and 25 and the center pillar 50 more reliably andstably, moreover, the center pillar 50 can be fixed on the slide guideframe portion 29 at the connecting member 48 by means of a screw 52 asshown in FIG. 8, so that the tension member 41 to be fixed on the centerpillar 50 can be positioned as highly as possible in the screen 28.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, the center pillar 50 is not fixed atthe slide guide frame portion 29 but can be slid and moved to the rightand left along the slide guide frame portion 29. The tension member 41can be extended through the two upper and lower positions of the screen28, and the tension member 41 can be fixed at the fixed point 51 in thetwo upper and lower portions of the center pillar 50.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 10 showing the periphery of the centerpillar 50 partially, the center pillar 50 can have a guide portion 53formed to extend therethrough bilaterally in the lower end portion ofthe center pillar 50, and a guide rib 54 protruding inward from thefront portion and the back portion of the center pillar 50 can be formedon the upper end of the guide portion 53. By passing the slide guideframe portion 29 bilaterally in the guide portion 53, the center pillar50 slides in contact on the slide guide frame portion 29 on at leasteither the inner face of the guide portion 53 and the lower face of theguide rib 54 so that the center pillar 50 can slide and move to theright and left along the slide guide frame portion 29. Moreover, thesliding movement of the center pillar 50 is stably performed without anyinterference with the movement of the slide guide frame portion 29 to behoused and extracted.

In the center pillar 50, as shown in FIG. 10, recessed housing portions55 for the screen 28 can be formed in the right and left side faceportions.

Moreover, the rigid unit 30 forming the slide guide frame portion 29 hasa pair of sidewall portions 56 arranged to confront each other, andbridge portions 57 connecting the two sidewall portions 56 to eachother. The side wall portion 56 has a protrusion 58 so formed in onelongitudinal end portion as to protrude to the outside, and the throughhole 31 so formed in the other end portion as to be engaged by theprotrusion 58. Although the illustration is omitted from FIG. 10, theside wall portion 56 has the small protrusion so arranged adjacent tothe protrusion 58 and on the opposite side of the through hole 31 as toprotrude to the outside, and has the substantially crescent slot formedadjacent to the through holes 31 and on the side of the protrusion 58 asto correspond to the slot 32 shown in FIG. 4.

In addition, in order to realize the parallel relation between thescreen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25 and the center pillar 50 morereliably and stably, the center pillar 50 is not only unfixed on theslide guide frame portion 29 but also unrelated from the slide guideframe portion 29 as shown in FIG. 11, and has its lower end arranged tosuch an extent as to have no interference with the slide guide frameportion 29 so that it can be suspended at its upper end portion from theupper rail 26. In this case, like the screen device 49 shown in FIG. 9,the tension member 41 is extended through the two upper and lowerportions of the screen 28, and is fixed on the fixed point 51 at the twoupper and lower portions of the center pillar 50.

Rotatable runners 59 are arranged on the two sides of the surface sideand the back side of the upper end portion of the center pillar 50. Onthe inner sides of the surface portion and the back portion of the upperrail 26, there are arranged runner rails 60 for guiding the runner 59.The runner rails 60 are formed of rail members 61 extended near thecentral portion of the upper rail 26 in the height direction and havinga generally L-shaped section folded downward, and rail members 62extended from the lower end of the upper rail 26 and having a generallyL-shaped section folded upward. The runners 59 are inserted between therail members 61 and 62 of the runner rails 60 so that they can rotatealong the runner rails 60 without coming out of the runner rails 60.These rotations allow the center pillar 50 to slide to the right andleft of the screen device 49.

The screen-mounting frame portions 24 and 25 are usually placedvertically of a reference face such as the floor face, so that thecenter pillar 50 suspended at the upper end portion by the upper rail 26can keep its parallel relation to the screen-mounting frame portions 24and 25 by its own weight.

1. A screen device comprising: a pair of screen-mounting frame portionsarranged to confront each other, one of the screen-mounting frameportions being a slidable screen-mounting frame portion which isslidably movable; an extendable and contractible screen mounted betweenthe screen-mounting frame portions; an upper cap detachably mounted toan upper end portion of the slidable screen-mounting frame portion; atension member extending through the screen and supporting the screen inextending and contracting directions thereof, the tension member beingrouted in the screen-mounting frame portions; and a slide guide frameportion arranged near a lower end portion of the screen, the slide guideframe portion including a plurality of rigid units turnable connected toeach other, each rigid unit including a pair of side wall portionsarranged to confront each other and a bridge portion connecting the sidewall portions, wherein the tension member is configured to be hooked onthe upper cap and bend at the upper cap, wherein the tension member isextracted from the upper end portion of the slidable screen-mountingframe portion and disposed externally of the slidable screen-mountingframe portion on a side opposite to a screen mounting side, wherein theslide guide frame portion is bendable and has at least one free end suchthat the slide guide frame portion is housed in and extracted from theslidable screen-mounting frame portion as the screen-mounting frameportion slides and moves, and such that an extracted portion of theslide guide frame portion maintains linearity when it is extracted fromthe screen-mounting frame portion as the screen-mounting frame portionslides and moves, and wherein a first end of the tension member is fixedat the free end of the slide guide frame portion.
 2. The screen deviceof claim 1, wherein both of the screen-mounting frame portions areslidably movable.
 3. The screen device of claim 1, further comprising adoorstop arranged to confront the slidable screen-mounting frameportion, wherein a second end of the tension member is fixed at thedoorstop.
 4. The screen device of claim 1, further comprising an upperrail for guiding the slide movement of the slidable screen-mountingframe portion at an upper end portion of the slidable screen-mountingframe portion, wherein a second end of the tension member is fixed atthe upper rail.
 5. The screen device of claim 1, further comprising anupper rail for guiding the slide movement of the slidablescreen-mounting frame portion at an upper end portion of the slidablescreen-mounting frame portion, wherein both of the screen-mounting frameportions are slidably movable, and the slide guide frame portion has twofree ends and can be housed in and extracted from both of thescreen-mounting frame portions, wherein a second end of the tensionmember is configured to be fixed to one of the free ends of the slideguide frame portion opposite to the free end to which the first end ofthe tension member is connected, and wherein the tension member isconfigured to be routed through the upper rail to form a loop.
 6. Thescreen device of claim 5, further comprising a center pillar arrangedbetween the screen-mounting frame portions, the center pillar beingslidably movable in the same direction as the two screen-mounting frameportions, wherein the tension member is fixed on the center pillar.